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CHAPTER 4 -
HYPERBUOYS/BACKDROPS The next step will be to add all the needed hyperbuoys to your mission, in order to allow the player to reach all used regions, and some backdrops. Backdrops are special FGs which are the 2D background bitmaps you see in the mission; they also provide lighting to the 3D game engine. Hyperbuoys To add some hyperbuoys in an easy way, use the hyperbuoy wizard, in the "Tools" menu. You then choose which regions you will link; I would advise you to uncheck the "Include Entrypoint buoys" option, unless you want different buoys for arriving from/going to a region (with this option on, you will have 4 hyperbuoys created then). In our example, we create hyperbuoys to link our two used regions. Hyperbuoys are invincible allied FG, you can change their IFF if you want blue, yellow or purple buoys for example. One important thing: you have some small changes to make on the "Role" page of the datapad for these FGs; it does seem to be a little bug with the buoy wizard: for example, your buoy located in Region 1, linking this region to Region 2, should have been created with "HYP to Region 2" and "HYP from Region 1" Tactical Roles. Change the second one to "HYP from Region 2". Edit all your hyperbuoys so the two tactical roles fit (the first one is always correct, edit the second one). For now, do not modify the arrival conditions of the buoys, change them at the end to fit your plotline. Move the buoys on the map, place them wherever you want. Backdrops More than a background, they are the light sources of the game, so you may add at least one of these in each region. Use the "add default backdrop" command of the Tools menu. It will add a backdrop to the current region; now, edit this new FG with the datapad, "Ship" page. You will notice the "Cargo" zone of this screen is different than usual: Bright:
determines the brightness of the lightning provided Click on the little planet icon to display a screen allowing you to choose the bitmap. On the right side, you can also select the shadow for the bitmap (NB: for certain backgrounds like numbers 29 and 55, those used in the Battle of Endor, the bitmap will be different than it appears depending on the shadow selected). In the registered version, you can choose the color of the light of the backdrop. Actually it only changes the name of the backdrop which holds this information (the name is a RGB color code). The position of the
backdrop on the map determines the direction in which you will see the 2D
background. Introduction
- AlliED
Interface - Mission Making - FAQs |
